Simple Linen Cowl

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It's cold here! We're starting to refer to these linen cowls as The Drapery's 'uniform'. They're so soft and cosy, yet lightweight, you can easily wear one all day, indoors and out.

The construction is so simple it almost doesn't deserve a tutorial so let's just call this inspiration, shall we?

Materials:

 - 40cm washed linen or linen/cotton blend, 150cm wide, some of ours are double-sided which offers a lovely contrast.
- Sewing machine and matching thread or embroidery thread/perle cotton and hand sewing needle

Press a narrow, double-fold hem on each long (cut) side of the fabric. Sew by machine or hand-sew with embroidery thread.

This hand-sewn stitch goes vertically down over the hem then horizontally across on the back, then vertically up the hem, horizontally across on the back and so forth, giving two rows of small horizontal stitches on the back and a kind of tiny stick fence effect over the hem side. (Let us know if this stitch has a proper name!) ** update ** thanks to our lovely customer Emma who has identified this (well her mum did) as a version of Ladder Stitch! Hooray for the sewing community :)

Now join the selvedge ends together. Stitch together at the bottom of the selvedge, press open and stitch the selvedges down for a neat finish.


Instead of washed linen you could try a double gauze (buy 75cm and cut horizontally down the centre, then join into one long piece 55cm x 150cm)... or try velveteen backed with voile (in the shop but not up on the webshop yet, sorry) as per Anna Maria Horner's tutorial here.

Snuggle up!

- Fiona & Jane xx

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